Saracens boss McCall hails Vunipola for 'doing talking on the field'
Saracens boss Mark McCall hailed a towering contribution by Billy Vunipola following a memorable Heineken Champions Cup final victory over holders Leinster.
The blockbusting number eight claimed Saracens’ clinching try in a 20-10 victory at St James’ Park, scattering defenders in his wake as he powered over the line.
England star Vunipola, who was booed most times he touched the ball during his team’s semi-final victory over Munster, again received jeers.
He was handed formal warnings from his club and the Rugby Football Union last month after he posted on social media that “man was made for woman to procreate that was the goal no?” and also liked a social media post from Australian player Israel Folau that stated “hell awaits” for homosexuals.
McCall said: “It’s obviously been a complicated five or six weeks, I guess, for him and for the squad, to be honest, as well.
“But what we needed from him was to do his talking on the field, not off the field, and he’s been really good and his team-mates have supported him very well.”
Vunipola went off near the end and had an ice pack strapped to his shoulder, but early indications suggest it is not a serious problem.
Saracens were crowned kings of Europe for the third time in four seasons, and they also became the most successful English club in European Cup history.
And they did it the hard way, wiping out a 10-point deficit through tries by Vunipola and wing Sean Maitland, plus two penalties and two conversions from Owen Farrell.
Prop Tadhg Furlong claimed a first-half touchdown for Leinster, while skipper Johnny Sexton added a conversion and penalty, but hopes of the Irishmen claiming a record fifth European title were dashed.
Saracens proved unstoppable once Maitland touched down following a dominant Leinster opening, ultimately overcoming a yellow card for Maro Itoje to storm home and taste Champions Cup glory once again.
McCall added: “To be 10-0 down against a side of the quality of Leinster is obviously not the greatest position to be in, and then to lose Maro to the sin-bin around that time as well…
“We just thought the players handled that 10 minutes incredibly well, and to score just before half-time was massive for us, and then I thought we played really brilliantly in the second half.
“Our players took control at half-time, if I’m honest. They were very clear on what we needed to do just a little bit better.
“The first one (European Cup win) felt magical, and this one feels good because we were against a really high-class team today and we were 10-0 down, we were down to 14 men and we had to find a way to come back into the game, and we did.”
There was further cause for Saracens celebrations, meanwhile, with full-back Alex Goode being named this season’s European player of the year.
Reflecting on Leinster’s first defeat in a European final, head coach Leo Cullen said: “Everyone is going to talk about the periods either side of half-time because that was when Saracens scored some points. There were so many different moments in the game.
“We created lots of opportunities, and you just need to make sure you nail your chances. We were up against a very good team, a big physical team with lots of quality.
“When a team is trying to chase the game against them it becomes very difficult because they are so aggressive in the middle of the field and are very comfortable defending and putting the squeeze on teams.
“I thought they did that really well and probably strangled us during the last 20 or 30 minutes. We are gutted.
“Ultimately, Saracens probably capitalised on the chances they created better than we did.
“We will always look at ourselves first. We probably didn’t quite get it right today, but it’s tough out there. There were some big moments that we just didn’t quite get.”
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments